Automatic closure



March 27, 1934. -r, s, McINTlRE 1,952,178

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Filed April 5, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ilia-2:

March 27, 1934. 'r. s. MclNTlRE 1,952,173

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Filed April 5, 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 /izyeiz Z 01" March 27, 1934. T. s. MclNTIRE 1,952,178

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Filed April 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 QEIEIE 'E March 27, 1934'. T. s. McINTlRE AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Filed April 5. 193.3

6 Sheets-Sheet 4 fizz/wafer 7am 5/7 /125 [Zia/72g March 27, 1934. T. s. MclNTlRE 1,952,173

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Filed April 5. 1953 s Sheets-Sheet 5 [Jill/1277 as 111,1 fiz 5 mazz f y March 27, 1934.

T. S. M INTIRE AUTOMAT I C CLOSURE Filed April 5. 1933 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 [Yaw/0r 7202220.; #77213)":

Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES A PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC CLOSURE Thomas S. McIntire, Wakefield Mass.

Application April 5, 1933, Serial No. 664,543

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic closures. More especially it relates to closures for floor holes and the like, where it may be desired to have a hole normally closed against from one floor to, another by sliding down a pole- Firemen in particular, while on duty at a fire station, are subject to momentary call, and are adopted as the best and quickest way of assem-- bling the manning force for the apparatus. But the relatively large floor hole necessary to permit safe passage of a man down a pole is a source of great annoyance when left normally uncovered. A strong and discomforting draft is occasioned from one floor to another; and objectionable quarters above.

Various proposals have been made heretofore for closing these floor holes when the slidingpoles are not in use, and foropening them as a preliminary to their use. But the prior proposals have been both unsafe and unsatisfactory; Some have involved the necessity of closing anelectric circuit which in turn effected an'upward swing of a trap door; and others have had a plate closure which, upon closing of an electric circuit, is made to run up the pole, thereby opening the floor hole. In both of these cases valuable time is lost waiting for the way to be cleared. And there is always danger of serious injury to a man who, in the hurry and excitement, and often in pitch darkness, may enter ontolthe sliding-pole before the closure has moved completely out of the way, and be caught by the trap door, or be knocked senselessby the upward travelling plate closure. V

It is among the objects of the invention to eliminate all preliminaries to the free and safe passage of a man through a normally closed slidingpole hole. v 1 7 Another object is to ensure that the closure will spring wide open the moment that a man comes on the sliding-pole. A p

' A further object is to provide sothat the openingtravel of the-closure will be in directions away from a man coming onto the pole; l

fumes from the apparatus pass up into the living Still another object is to provide a guard around the floor hole which conveniently may cooperate in accomplishing the'automatic operation of the closure.

It is, moreover, an important feature that the invention may be employed with a sliding-pole suspended from a ceiling, or mounted in the guard structure; or the pole may be mounted in a separate supporting structure.

The stated objects and results may be attained by employing the sliding-pole as an actuator for operating the closure to its open and to its closed positions. To this end the pole is yieldably mounted so that it depresses a little in vertical direction when a suflicient downward pressure is made effective upon it. Suitable operating connections between the closure and a high-up location on the pole' translate any vertical travel of the pole into rotatory travel of the closure, to move the latter, about pivotal points, between open and closed positions. Spring tension normally may hold the pole in its uppermostposition at which times the closure will be effectively covering the floor hole. But the moment a man comes onto the sliding-pole, he applies tov the pole the weight needed to depress it and thus to actuate the closure to clear the floor hole for his safe, sliding passage through. I It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, what-. ever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation, in medial vertical section through a sliding pole hole in an upper fioor of a building, and showing a device embodying features of the invention, likewise in medial Vere tical section, associated therewith;

Figure 2 is a plan of the device of Figure '1;

Figure 3 is a plan, in section on- 33 of Figure 1; 1 Figure 4 is an elevation, in medial vertical section on 4-4 of Figure 3; a

' Figure 5 is an elevation of a modified structur embodying features of the invention; Figure 6 is a plan of the device of Figure 5; Figure '7 is a plan, in section on 7-7 of Figure5;,

Figure 8 is an elevation, with the lower portion in vertical section on 88 of Figure'l, and with upper portions cut away to the center of the tubular structure; i V

Figure 9 is an elevation, in medial vertical section, of the yieldable ceiling suspension device for holding the sliding-pole of Figures 5 and 6; and

Figure 10 is an elevationpin medial section, showing another modification of the invention, in I vvl iig zh cables and counter we ights' cooperate with the sliding-pole, to effect opening and closing of a sectional closure.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 to 4 thereof, lower and upper floors of a building are indicated respectively at 10 and 12, and a floor hole 14 in the upper floor 12 constitutes a passage way through which men on the upper floor may descend. A sliding-pole 16' stands vertically erect at the center of hole 14, extending from a location well above floor 12 down to the lower level 10 where its end may slidably engage in a socket 18.

Pole 16 is shown suspended in a tri-pod supporting structure indicated generally at 20; and a guard rail 22, at a suitable elevation, may encircle the tri-pod and form therewith a cage which stands in guarding relation to the floor hole 14. Any suitable form of gate may be provided for getting access to pole 16, such as the hinged guard rail sections 22 22 normally held closed by sliding sleeve 22. Or an opening may be left in the guard rail 22, at the entrance.

According to the invention sliding-pole 16 is mounted so that it depresses vertically when subjected to any substantial downward pressure. To this end its tri-pod support is telescoping in character, each leg thereof having a rigid, tubular portion 24 within which a tubular portion 26' of smaller diameter extends and is depressible against the yielding tension of a spring 28 which conveniently may be housed within the rigid outer tube 24. Each of the depressible tubes 26 extends vertically upward six or more feet above floor 12 where all turn inward as at 26 and have their respective ends secured in the pole suspending cap 30.

The closure for floor hole 14 maybe of the improved sectional form illustrated, and it conveniently may be arranged on the under side of floor 12, which brings it in the ceiling of the compartment below. It is conical in form, comprising three segments 32, each hingedly mounted on its own horizontal axis 34, and all adapted to come together around pole 16 to completely and effectively cover the hole 14; and all are adapted to swing downwardly and outwardly to clear the way for a man coming down the pole.

As illustrated a floor ring 36 is secured on floor 12, around the edge of hole 14, it having the upstanding bosses 36 in each of which one of the rigid tubes 24 of the tri-pod may be threaded, and within each of which a rest 36 may be provided for the lower end of one of the springs 28.

Another ring 38 is employed on the under or ceiling side of fioor 12, it being secured to the ceiling, and having three pairs of ears 38 each of which pairs supports a hinge pin 34 on which a closure segment 32 is mounted and about which, as an axis, the segment moves. Each segment 32 may have a body of suitablesheet material secured on a segmental carrier 32 with cars 32' through whichthe hinge pins 34 engage.

Actuation of' the closure segments 32 is responsive to movements of the sliding-pole 16 and its telescoping tri-pod support. Each tubular portion 26 of the tri-pod extends well down toward the horizontal plane of the closure; and the lower end of each has link connection to one of the segments 32, as at 40 in Figures 1 and 4.

Springs 28 normally are efiective for holding the pole 16 in its uppermost position. They yield, however, the moment a man comes onto the pole 16, permitting the pole and its tri-pod portions 26to be depressed by the weight of the man. Depression of tri-pod portions 26 causes" downward and outward swinging of the respective closure segments 32, all moving simultaneously and in unison, and each directly urged by its connector link 40. The amount of depression of pole 16 needed to eiiect complete opening of the closure, may be made as large or as small as is desired, by selection of a suitable leverage effect. As a practical matter, an inch or an inch and a half of depression of pole 16, temperated by the shockabsorbing characteristics of the springs 28, is hardly noticeable by a man using the pole. It is .importanthowever, that the depression be complete and instantaneous consequent upon substantial pressure or weight coming onto the pole, so that complete opening of the closure will have transpired before the man coming down the pole reaches the closure. As soon as the man leaves the pole at the lower level 10, the springs 28' act to return tri-pod and pole to normal positions, and thereby to cause the closure segments 32 to assume their positions effectively covering the hole 14.

In Figures 5-9 a modified structure is illustrated wherein the sliding-pole 16 is suspended from the ceiling of the upper compartment, and extends eccentrically of floor hole 14 In this form of the invention the upper end of pole 16 is yieldingly supported on spring 28 which in turn is supported at its lower end, by a housing 42 secured to the ceiling. The guarding cage may comprise four rigid tubular uprights 44, 46 with horizontal guard rails 48 connecting the uprights. The rail 48 at the entrance side may embody the hinged sections 48 with slidable locking sleeve 48 If desired, each gate section may be provided at its hinge with a spring 48 normally urging the gate section inward, so that each automatically swings inward and out of the way as soon as the sleeve 48 is moved to release it.

Only two of the uprights, however, cooperate in actuation of the closure sections 50, 50. The two rear uprights 46 in this case accommodate the telescoping actuating rods 52, whose upper ends are connected together and to pole 16 by the truss 54.

The closure comprises two sections 50 and two sections 50, and each section is secured along its outer edge to a rocker shaft whose ends are journaled in suitable supporting hangers 56 at the under or ceiling side of floor 12 One rocker shaft 58acts as the prime mover for the other three rocker shafts 60. To this end the prime mover is located along the rear side of hole 14 and carries at each end a lever 62 which reaches over toward the axis of one of the actuating rods 52, and upward to a slotted connector 64' secured in the lower end of each rod 52. Lever 62 has pin and slot connection to connector 64, so that vertical movement of the actuating rods causes rocking of shaft 58. A bevel gear 66 on each end of shaft 58, outside of the levers 62, meshes with 'a' similar bevel gear 68 on the end of a rocker shaft 60, whereby rocking or" the prime mover shaft 58 results in a similar and simultaneous rocking of the two shafts 60 which are geared thereto. And the third shaft 60 is geared at opposite ends to the other two shafts '60, so that rocking of all four shafts is consequent upon vertical movement of the actuators 52.

The operation and effect in this form of the invention are similar to those in the preferred form. The momenta man enters upon pole 16 the pole'depressesagainst tension of spring 28*, swinging the closure-sections-50,'50 quickly and simultaneously to wide open positions. And spring 28 returns pole 16 to normal position with consequent closure of sections 50, 50' when pressure on the pole is removed.

Still another modification of the invention is illustrated in Figure 10, where the closure sections '70 are normally held closed by the counterweights 72, and are opened by pull of cables 74. One cable is provided for each section 70, and has its lower end connected to the arm of a counterweight 72 and its upper end connected to the top.

portion of the sliding-pole, with suitable intermediate guiding pulleys within the tubular polesupporting structure, through which tubular supports the cables conveniently may extend.

The combined weight of the counter-weights 72, in this case is required to be enough to sustain the sliding-pole in its uppermost position. The weight of a man on the pole, however, will overcome the effect of the counter-weights, and will depress the pole and swing the closure sections open. 7

It will be apparent that the invention is capable of many and varied applications. Primarily it relates to pole-actuation of a closure regardless of the type or the location of the closure. The illustrated specific forms of closures and of operating connections may be regarded as representative of the wide variety intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus for automatic control of a passageway, the combination of a closure for the passageway; a guide element extending into the passageway along which a body may slide; means associated with said guide for yieldingly permitting limited movement of the guide in the direction oi travel of said sliding body and as a result of weight of said body while the body continues to slide; and connections between the guide and the closure, whereby said movement of the guide actuates the closure to open it while said body continues itssliding movement along said guide.

2. In apparatus for automatic control of a floor hole in a building, the combination of a closure for said hole; a guide element extending through said hole; yieldable supporting means'for said guide element connected to said element only above said hole, and adapted to permit limited downward movement of the guide elementconsequent upon substantial downward pressure being made eiiective on the guide element; and connections between said supporting means and the closure, whereby downward movement of the guide element actuates the closure to open it.

3. In apparatus for automatic control of a sliding pole hole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extending through said hole; a closure for said hole; yieldable means supporting the pole and permitting depression thereof under downwardly directed pressure applied to the pole; and connections'between said pole and said closure, whereby depression of the pole actuates the closure to open it.

4. In apparatus for automatic control of a sliding-pole hole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extending through said hole; a closure for said hole; means above said floor for suspension of the pole, includg ing a spring permitting limited depression of the pole when a substantial downward pressure is exerted thereon; and connections between the pole and the closure, whereby depression of the pole actuates the closure to open it.

5. In apparatus for automatic control of a sliding-pole hole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extending through said hole; a sectional closure for said hole, each section being mounted for rotary motion about a horizontal axis; yieldable means supporting the pole and permitting depression thereof when a substantial downward pressure is exerted thereon; and connections between the pole and each said section of the closure, whereby downward motion of the pole is translated into rotary motion of said closure sections, to open them.

6. In apparatus for automatic control of a sliding-pole hole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extendingthrough said hole; a sectional closure for said hole, each section being mounted for rotary motion about a horizontal axis; yieldable means supporting the pole and permitting depression thereof when a substantial downward pressure is exerted thereon; connections between the pole and a section of the closure, whereby movement of the pole actuates that section; and. inter-connections between the sections of the closure, whereby actuation of one section results in simultaneous actuation of all.

7. In apparatus for automatic control of a sliding-pole hole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extending through said hole; a closure for said hole; a guard structure on said upper floor, around said hole, including a tubular upright; an actuator yieldingly supported in said tubular upright, on which actuator the sliding-pole is suspended; and connections between said actuator and the closure; said actuator being depressible by downward pressure on said pole, whereby the closure is actu- 115 ated to open position.

8. In apparatus for automatic control of a' sliding-polehole in an upper floor of a building, the combination of a sliding-pole extending through said hole; a sectional closure for said 120 hole, each section being mounted for rotary motion about a horizontal axis; a tri-pod guard structure around said hole, each leg thereof 113V.- ing an outer portion rigid on the floor, and an inner telescoping portion which extends upward 125 out of the rigid portion and has suspending connection to the pole at ahigh up location, and which extends downward within the said floor; spring means in each leg of the tri-pod yieldably supporting the pole suspending portions thereof 130 in uppermost positions; and connections between the said downwardly extending portions of the tri-pod and the closure sections,.whereby a depression of the pole effects opening movement of the respective sections of the closure.

9. In apparatus for automatic control of a floor hole in a building, the combination of a sectional closure for said hole, arranged on the under side of said floor, each section being mounted for rotary motion about a horizontal axis; a guide element extending through said hole, and through said closure at a juncture of sections thereof; means supporting the guide element yieldingly, and permitting limited downward movement thereof under applied pressure; and a connection between the guide element and each closure section, whereby movement of the guide element actuates the closure sections simultaneously.

THOMAS S. MCINTIRE. 

